Abstract
This paper argues that a common theme in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's work, "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the effect of fantasy and enchantment on the characters in those stories. An examination of the two works shows how fantasy influences and modifies the characters, how it affects the story's setting, and the message that each author is sending to the reader.

Tags:women, entrapment, love

Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of William Shakespeare's comedy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream", that rejects critical analysis that views the play as evidence of male dominance over women in the era depicted.

From the Paper
"A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that revolves around love sex and marriage. The plot revolves around two sets of lovers Hermia and Lysander and Helena and Demetrius whose complicated romantic relations are made more complex by their arrival in the fairyland woods. Here the King and Queen of the Fairies Oberon and Titania rule and are involved in a battle themselves over the custody of a young changeling boy in Titania's care. A majority of critics contend that the play reflects certain characteristics ..."

Tags:love, patriarchy, relationships, gender, fairies, trickery, sexual desire, dominance, life struggle, Shakespeare, Elizabethan era

Abstract
The paper examines Shakespeare's depiction of four different relationships and how they highlight female and male power positions. The paper explains that by looking at all of these relationships, Shakespeare portrays how a proper relationship is derived only
from two people who act appropriately for their gender.

From the Paper
"The play A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare explores the authority roles of both men and women in the Elizabethan Age. The play touches briefly on the legal power of women, but focuses mainly on expected female roles in romantic relationships. Each of the four couples display a different power relationship between the man and the woman, and through the exploration of each of these, Shakespeare explains how a proper relationship is derived from two people who properly display their gender roles to society."

Tags:female, male, power, positions, relationships

From the Paper
"The purpose of this research is to examine the representations of women in Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, Midsummer Night's Dream, and Much Ado About Nothing. The plan of the research will be to set forth the pattern of ideas in each play as it relates to the representation of women and then to discuss the means by which the characterizations emerge in the plays.

Although the details differ from play to play, what these three plays share is a line of action that demonstrates the coping strategies of women who are obliged to find--and who proceed to enact--a specific and appropriate social role. The pattern of ideas in The Taming of the Shrew as a whole can be said to define the pattern of female characterization in the play as well. The action of the play builds around the methods.."

Abstract
This paper provides evidence from the Shakespearean plays, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Taming of the Shrew", that there was considerable opposition to women who wanted to express themselves or have their own way in Renaissance times. In "The Taming of the Shrew", it is Katherine who was the deviant, but eventually conformed to the norms of society by obeying her husband. This was because everyone wanted her to do so, including the women around her. Similar to this situation was Hermia's, where she was ordered to marry a man against her wishes. Women around her and generally everyone else wanted her to obey her father's wishes. However, she revolted and eloped with her lover. From these examples in the play, this paper shows that the voices of women during the Renaissance were greatly opposed. However, it notes that, in the case of Hermia, it can be seen that women finally manage to emerge victorious.

From the Paper
"The manner in which some women were in fact reinforcements to misogynistic attitudes is reflected in the Shakespearean texts, "The Taming of the Shrew" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream", as both these texts demonstrate the way that women in the Renaissance reinforced their social positions by repeatedly adhering to what was expected of them. It is clear enough that this attitude on the part of women had caused men to feel elevated and powerful (Belsey 1985, pp 12-15). Men realized that they could get women to act in accordance with what they expected of them, and they reinforced or justified these expectations through religious indoctrination. Particularly, the Christian bible was used in order to get women to conform to what men wanted."

Tags:Swetnam, Queen, Elizabeth, Demetrius

Abstract
The paper briefly explores the significance of dreams in Shakespeare's "Richard III", "Macbeth" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream". In particular, the paper looks at how dreams serve chiefly to add depth and complexity to main characters, reflect the belief systems of the audience Shakespeare was trying to enthrall, and - not least of all - underscore the subjective nature of human "reality". Ultimately, the paper argues that if there is a common link between all three of the plays it is that each one takes it as a "given" that the supernatural world does indeed exist and can play a role in the lives of men. The paper concludes that Shakespeare's audience, if not the playwright, cleave to the view that dreams are a portal into the "otherworld" which shapes the fates of humanity regardless of a man or woman's station.

Tags:macbeth, richard, midsummer

Abstract
This paper argues that Margo Hendricks' argument that "A Midsummer Night's Dream" primarily touches on the issues of race, is inadequate if we consider the importance of the images of strong female characters such as Hippolyta and Titania and of the meaning of their ultimate defeat at the hands of patriarchal rulers Thesius and Oberon, respectively. The threat to patriarchal society that a mysterious community of women presents, identifies women as "other" in terms of gender, rather than race. The paper shows that Athens thus becomes a place where patriarchy is preserved, whereas the woods present the middle ground where connection between women is made but not fulfilled. India, however, remains a point of absolute freedom for women to create Amazon-like communities in which to thrive, with a constant need to defend their world from the devastating influence of male conquerors.

From the Paper
"Since the exotic world of Indian-Fairy women's connection is not subject to western European society's regulations, it is fully realized in a form of a changeling child. Contrasting this fantastic world of personal freedom of choice is the world of Athens; a patriarchal society upholding constrains on women's choices from which Helena and Hermia have to escape to form a semblance of a connection they long for. As Lysander states how he "...did meet thee (Hermia) once with Helena/To do observance to a morn of May" (1.1.168-170), the reader is introduced to the meaning that the forest outside of Athens had for the two girls, as Mayday is historically a time when young people unite with the person they love."

Tags:liberation, Thisbe, Titania

Abstract
Through his comedies, William Shakespeare was able to address many taboo subjects in the name of entertainment. His comedies provided him an avenue to express marginalized voices that were sometimes muffled in Renaissance society. This cannot be truer for the voice of women. This paper shows how, in his plays, "The Taming of the Shrew" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Shakespeare gives voice to strong women who refuse to become victims of society. Kate is what we would call a strong-willed child with a mind of her own, with no fear of expressing her opinions. Despite the mistreatment she endures in the play, she emerges a winner for many reasons. The paper shows how, similarly, Hippolyta and Hermia demonstrate independence uncommon to their female counterparts. These women illustrate that true love is its own reward in any age.

From the Paper
"Both sisters are playing a game of sorts. Kate is a shrew and cannot be manhandled while Bianca pretends to be the image of feminine sweetness. Bianca is revealed to be the true manipulator because she does not follow the demands of her husband. In the end, we come to appreciate Kate for her genuine character as opposed to Bianca's fraud. Margaret Ranald believes that "Katharina's liberated spirit remains unbroken, but that she has learned the value of realpolitik not only in marriage, but also in the even wider world of sociopolitics" (Ranald 1994). However, when we observe the entire action of the play, we can only surmise that Shakespeare is supporting the role and voice of the independent woman of his age."

Tags:Baptista, Bianca, Katharina

Abstract
This paper looks at the economic role marriage had in Shakespearean times and the importance of women in that role. The paper then goes on to analyze the relevance of marriage as an economic institution to Shakespeare's plays "The Taming of the Shrew" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

From the Paper
"Both Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Night's Dream deal significantly with the theme of marriage. In both plays, a daughter causes difficulties for the father who is attempting to marry her off. In The Taming of the Shrew, Kate's shrewish behavior makes it almost impossible for her father to discover a willing suitor, whereas in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hermia refuses Egeus attempts to marry her because she is in love with another man. In the case of the former, Kate is eventually "broken" and convinced to become a loving and subservient wife. This play upholds much of the Shakespearean social order of what it was to be a wife. A Midsummer Night's Dream, on the other hand, ultimately allows the daughter's forbidden love to prevail. Why the difference in the two plays?"

Tags:Kate, Hermia, Egeus, plays, poems, courtly, love, petruchio, athens, obedient

Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts the two different central female characters in the plays "The Country Wife" by William Wycherley and "Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare.